Designing for Healthy Cognitive Ageing Project: Workplace Ethnographies Data, 2022-2023

The DesHCA research aimed to develop designs for homes that could support people as they age, including if they develop cognitive, physical and/or sensory challenges. As part of this effort, an understanding of the perspectives and experiences of professionals involved in delivering such homes was important, particularly to consider the challenges and facilitators in the process. To gain an authentic, immersive understanding of this, an ethnographic approach was used in housing provider/developer organisations. The ethnographies aimed to observe home developments in action, and the interactions of those involved, particularly how they facilitated or constrained home design.

Three workplace topic-oriented ethnographies were conducted, to examine the interactive processes involved in delivering projects producing age and cognitively supportive housing. Three researchers studied each of the sites, observing interactions and interviewing a small number of key individuals, spending time within the organisations and observing work practices and interactions in real time.

The archived data includes fieldnotes and transcribed interviews.<p>As we age, many of us will experience cognitive changes, and for some of us, these will develop into dementia. We know that people's homes can make the experience of cognitive changes more difficult, or can enable continuing inclusion and sense of self-worth and self-esteem. DesHCA worked with people experiencing ageing and cognitive change and those who design and develop housing. DesHCA identified housing innovations that can support living better for longer with cognitive change. Our emphasis on healthy cognitive ageing goes beyond narrow conceptions of 'dementia-friendly design' into a more expansive and inclusive approach to housing innovation.

The multidisciplinary DesHCA team involved stakeholders from all areas of housing provision, including people experiencing ageing and cognitive change, architects and designers, housing experts, planners, builders and housing providers. Older people were integral to DesHCA and their health was at its heart. The project designed homes that act as demonstrators and test-beds for innovations to support healthy cognitive ageing. These designs have been developed and evaluated from stakeholder points of view, then considered at a larger scale to examine their real-world feasibility. DesHCA is feeding directly into the UK and Scottish Government City Region Deal for Central Scotland (Stirling and Clackmannanshire), providing groundwork for local housing developments. The focus of this is sustainable, lifetime health, community and economic development, addressing deprivation and inequality.

To achieve these aims, DesHCA took a co-production approach, with the whole team working to identify innovations that engage with their real-world experiences and aspirations. We used a range of data collection methods and produced analyses informed the design of the demonstrator houses. These designs evolved as stakeholders interacted with them and provided feedback from their different points of view. To collect data, we asked older people to map and evaluate their own homes and to experience and comment on new design features using virtual reality (VR). They then collaborated with builders, architects and housing providers in VR workshops to identify practical, realistic and affordable designs that can support healthy cognitive ageing, and therefore longer healthy, independent life. Partners came together in interactive workshops to convert designs into plans within a fictional town, building and retrofitting homes, creating services and managing budgets. We demonstrated how designs can work out in the real world, and how to bring together the various interests involved. Throughout, issues of costs were considered, to inform business planning and help make decisions on implementation of the new designs.

The impact of DesHCA is achieved through showing what works in housing design for healthy cognitive ageing. Immediately, DesHCA will feed into the City Region Deal and longer term we will provide tools for future developers to inform their decisions about housing for healthy cognitive ageing. Throughout the project, disseminate findings were distributed to the housing, architecture and building sectors through stakeholder networks. We have published rigorous research findings to provide a peer reviewed, high quality research base for innovation. Thus the project goes beyond recommendations and guidance to provide evidence to support delivery at scale, grounded in the co-production approach that draws on the real experience, interests and imperatives that drive different stakeholders.

DesHCA's multidisciplinary team built capacity among early career researchers in research leadership, working across disciplines such as architecture and planning, economics, sociology and across sectors with a range of different industrial and professional stakeholders, such as housing workers, planners and construction companies.</p>

DesHCA研究旨在开发可支持老年人居家养老的住宅设计方案，涵盖应对认知、躯体及感官功能障碍的场景。作为研究工作的一环，深入了解参与此类住宅项目交付的专业人士的观点与实践经验尤为关键，尤其需厘清项目推进过程中的阻碍因素与助力条件。为获取真实且沉浸式的研究认知，团队在住宅供应商与开发商机构中采用了民族志（ethnographic）研究方法。该民族志研究旨在观察住宅开发的实际运作流程，以及相关人员的互动情况，特别是他们如何推动或限制住宅设计的优化方向。

本次研究共开展三项面向特定工作主题的民族志研究，以剖析适老化及认知支持型住宅项目交付过程中的互动流程。三名研究人员分别进驻三个研究站点，通过观察人际互动、访谈少量核心人员，在机构内驻留并实时记录工作实践与团队互动情况。

归档数据包含实地笔记与转录后的访谈文本。

随着年龄增长，多数人会出现认知功能变化，部分人群甚至会发展为痴呆症。已有研究证实，住宅环境既可能加剧认知功能变化带来的生活困境，也可助力个体维持社会融入感、自我价值感与自尊。DesHCA与经历衰老及认知功能变化的人群，以及住宅设计与开发从业者展开深度合作，明确了可帮助人们在认知功能变化状态下更优质地长期居家生活的住宅创新方案。本项目对健康认知老龄化的关注，超越了“痴呆友好型设计”的狭义范畴，转向更为包容多元的住宅创新路径。

多学科的DesHCA研究团队吸纳了住宅供给全链条的利益相关方（stakeholder），包括经历衰老与认知功能变化的人群、建筑师与设计师、住宅专家、规划师、建筑商及住宅供应商。老年群体是DesHCA的核心参与主体，其健康需求始终处于研究的核心位置。本项目设计的住宅兼具示范展示与创新测试床（test-bed）的双重功能，可为健康认知老龄化提供切实支持。研究团队从利益相关方视角出发对设计方案进行开发与评估，随后在更大尺度上开展验证研究，以确认其在现实场景中的可行性。DesHCA研究成果将直接应用于英国及苏格兰政府针对中苏格兰地区（斯特灵与克拉克曼南郡）的城市区域协议项目，为当地住宅开发奠定坚实基础。该项目的核心目标是实现可持续的终身健康、社区与经济发展，解决贫困与不平等问题。

为实现上述研究目标，DesHCA采用了协同生产（co-production）研究范式，全体团队成员共同挖掘契合真实场景经验与发展愿景的创新方案。研究团队运用多种数据采集方法，生成的分析结果为示范住宅的设计提供了核心依据。随着利益相关方与设计方案的互动并从各自视角提出反馈，设计方案也在持续迭代优化。在数据采集环节，研究人员邀请老年人绘制并评估自身住宅，并通过虚拟现实（Virtual Reality, VR）体验与评价新型设计特征。随后，老年人与建筑商、建筑师及住宅供应商在VR工作坊中展开协作，共同筛选出可支持健康认知老龄化、进而助力更长时间健康独立生活的实用、可行且经济的设计方案。合作方共同参与交互式工作坊，将设计方案转化为虚构城镇中的规划方案，涵盖住宅建造与翻新改造、服务创设及预算管理等全流程内容。研究团队演示了设计方案在现实场景中的落地路径，以及如何整合各方利益诉求。全程研究均充分考量成本因素，为商业规划提供参考依据，并助力新设计方案的实施决策。

DesHCA的研究影响力通过展示适用于健康认知老龄化的住宅设计实践案例得以实现。短期内，DesHCA成果将直接融入城市区域协议项目；长期来看，团队将为未来开发者提供专业工具，辅助其开展健康认知老龄化型住宅的相关决策。项目全程中，研究团队通过利益相关方网络，将研究成果向住宅、建筑及建造行业进行了推广传播。目前团队已发表严谨的研究发现，为行业创新提供经过同行评议的高质量研究基础。因此，本项目不仅提供了建议与指导，更基于协同生产范式构建了实证支撑，可助力大规模落地应用——该范式汲取了驱动不同利益相关方的真实经验、诉求与行动准则。

DesHCA的多学科团队还针对早期职业研究者开展了研究领导力能力建设工作，研究跨建筑与规划、经济学、社会学等多个学科领域，并联动住房从业者、规划师及建筑企业等多类工业与专业领域的利益相关方。